Ownership profile
Who owns Anytime Fitness?
Anytime Fitness is a franchise gym brand owned by Purpose Brands LLC — a private holding company formed in April 2024 when Self Esteem Brands merged with Orangetheory Fitness — with Atlanta-based private equity firm Roark Capital Group holding a confirmed significant minority stake in the combined entity.
Ownership profile
Anytime Fitness
Anytime Fitness Franchisor, LLC (operating brand); Purpose Brands LLC (ultimate parent holding company, formed April 2024 via merger of Self Esteem Brands and Orangetheory Fitness)
Evidence (11)
The merged holding company was officially named Purpose Brands LLC, headquartered across Boca Raton, Florida and Woodbury, Minnesota
https://athletechnews.com/orangetheory-anytime-fitness-purpose-brands/Purpose Brands LLC is the owner of Anytime Fitness, Orangetheory, The Bar Method, Basecamp/Sumhiit Fitness, and Waxing the City
https://athletechnews.com/orangetheory-anytime-fitness-purpose-brands/Founders Chuck Runyon and Dave Mortensen transitioned to board director roles at Purpose Brands upon the merger closing; Tom Leverton (formerly of Topgolf) was named first CEO of Purpose Brands
https://athletechnews.com/orangetheory-anytime-fitness-purpose-brands/Self Esteem Brands (parent of Anytime Fitness) and Orangetheory Fitness completed a merger of equals via all-stock transaction on April 2, 2024, creating a new combined entity
https://www.franchisetimes.com/franchise_mergers_and_acquisitions/orangetheory-anytime-fitness-parent-complete-massive-merger/article_e60733aa-f1e8-11ee-b05d-a3716dcd0d87.htmlFranchise Times confirmed Roark Capital invested in Self Esteem Brands in 2014 and 'will continue to support the newly merged entity alongside the founders and leadership teams'
https://www.franchisetimes.com/franchise_mergers_and_acquisitions/orangetheory-anytime-fitness-parent-complete-massive-merger/article_e60733aa-f1e8-11ee-b05d-a3716dcd0d87.htmlRoark Capital is also an investor in Orangetheory Fitness, having made a growth equity investment in 2016; both companies share Roark as a common investor, facilitating the 2024 merger
https://www.franchisetimes.com/franchise_mergers_and_acquisitions/orangetheory-anytime-fitness-parent-complete-massive-merger/article_e60733aa-f1e8-11ee-b05d-a3716dcd0d87.htmlIndividual Anytime Fitness franchise locations are separately PE-backed at the franchisee level: Sentinel Capital Partners acquired Bandon Holdings (largest Anytime franchisee, 200+ clubs) in July 2022, and Rainier Partners acquired Omega Fitness (120+ clubs) in late 2023 — these are franchisee-level investments, not franchisor-level
https://www.sentinelpartners.com/company/bandon-holdings/Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm, made an equity investment in Anytime Fitness (via its parent Self Esteem Brands) in March 2014; terms were not disclosed but Wikipedia characterises it as a large minority share
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anytime-fitness-receives-investment-from-roark-capital-group-248167991.htmlRoark Capital is described as holding 'a significant minority stake' in Anytime Fitness since 2014 and has continued to support the combined Purpose Brands entity
https://grokipedia.com/page/Roark_Capital_GroupPurpose Brands (and therefore Anytime Fitness) is privately held; no public exchange listing has been found
https://tcbmag.com/tom-leverton-named-ceo-of-anytime-fitness-parent/Anytime Fitness Franchisor, LLC is the legal operating entity, headquartered in Woodbury, Minnesota, and operates over 5,000 franchised locations in 50 countries
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anytime_FitnessWhat's uncertain
- The precise size of Roark Capital's stake in Purpose Brands (majority vs. minority) has not been publicly disclosed; the 2014 investment in Self Esteem Brands was characterised as a 'large minority' by Wikipedia and 'significant minority' by Grokipedia, but no authoritative primary source confirms this carries over unchanged to the post-merger Purpose Brands entity. Pe_involvement is therefore scored 'influenced' (minority) rather than 'controlled' pending confirmation.
- Terms of the 2024 Self Esteem Brands / Orangetheory merger were not disclosed; the all-stock structure means relative ownership percentages of Roark, Runyon, Mortensen, and Orangetheory co-founders in Purpose Brands are unknown.
- The franchise flag applies to the brand: Anytime Fitness gyms are individually owned and operated by franchisees. PE involvement at the franchisee level (Sentinel Capital / Bandon Holdings; Rainier Partners / Omega Fitness) is separate from the franchisor (Purpose Brands) level assessed here.
- Self Esteem Brands website (sebrands.com) still operated as of the search date but may not reflect the post-merger Purpose Brands structure; some information may be stale.
- No SEC EDGAR filings found for Purpose Brands LLC or Self Esteem Brands, consistent with private company status and no public debt requiring reporting.